14:50 Wetherby

Saturday 11 January 2020

All12:3013:0513:4014:1514:5015:2515:55

Watch Racing TV In Stunning HD Handicap Hurdle

Off time: 14:52 | Winning time: 5m 29.8s

Sam's Gunner²⁹⁸

Age: 7| Weight: 11-12| J: Jamie Hamilton| T: M & D Easterby| OR: 135| D

50/1

Looked a very promising novice for the north back in 2017/18. Things haven't gone to plan over fences since, and he only made it to the track twice last season. Makes seasonal return with a bit to prove but not fully dismissed.

Form: 121P/32-

Sakhee's City^p²¹

Age: 9| Weight: 11-10| J: Sean Quinlan| T: P A Kirby| OR: 133| CD

12/1

C&D winner on his penultimate start when well-fancied (sent off 7/2f). Could never get involved most recently at Haydock (3m; heavy) when stepped up to 3m for the first time off a 4lb higher mark. Drop back in trip is a positive.

Form: 208-215

Demi Sang³⁵

Age: 7| Weight: 11-10| J: Alain Cawley| T: B Haslam| OR: 133

33/1

Has his first start over hurdles since finishing third back in August 2017 at Chateaubriant (2m1f; soft) when trained in France. Struggling for form over fences the last twice, including when fourth here last month. Vulnerable to improvers.

Form: 4153P4

River Frost^p1²¹

Age: 8| Weight: 11-10| J: Jonjo O'Neill Jr.| T: B Haslam| OR: 133| D

14/1

Reverts to hurdles off the same mark he scored off when winning at Kempton (2m5f; good) in February 2017. Followed up maiden chase success with a pair of respectable efforts in defeat. Claims if transferring that ability back over hurdles.

Form: 644122

Ball D'Arc²⁹

Age: 9| Weight: 11-9| J: R D Day| T: P Winks| OR: 132| D

80/1

Ran as was expected when a distant fifth on stable debut for new connections at Doncaster (2m3f; good to soft) recently. Dropped 5lb for that, but still looks high enough in the weights. Opposed until offering more encouragement.

Form: 0033-05

Big Bad Bear²⁷

Age: 6| Weight: 11-7| J: B S Hughes| T: N G Richards| OR: 130| C

6/4

Opened his account over hurdles over 2m at this track on his penultimate start. Has gone in again since then, and now makes handicap debut off a fair enough mark. Top stable are going great guns and he is a major player.

Form: 231-311

Authorizo^t¹⁵³

Age: 5| Weight: 11-7| J: Henry Brooke| T: O Greenall & J Guerriero| OR: 130

50/1

Makes UK debut for new connections after failing to build on initial early promise in Ireland for Gordon Elliot. 6lb higher mark to contend with in this country which makes life even harder. Best watched for now.

Form: 13P7-66

Storm Rising^b²⁹

Age: 7| Weight: 11-7| J: Charlie Hammond⁽³⁾| T: Dr R D P Newland| OR: 130| C

11/1

Got back to winning ways when beating Mr Scrumpy at Doncaster (2m3f; good to soft) last time out. 4lb worse off with that rival who is open to vastly more improvement. Never won off a mark as high as this before.

Form: 6-20F41

Mr Scrumpy²⁹

Age: 6| Weight: 11-1| J: Joe Colliver| T: Jedd O'Keeffe| OR: 124| BF| CD

5/2

Consistent sort who has never finished out of the first three in any of his seven starts under rules. Followed up successful handicap debut when runner-up at Doncaster (2m3f; good to soft) last month. Up 2lb but hard to see him out of the frame.

Form: 1332-12

West To The Bridge¹⁶

Age: 7| Weight: 11-0| J: William Marshall⁽⁷⁾| T: D Skelton| OR: 123

11/1

Bit of a risky proposition given he has been pulled-up on two of his last three starts. However, both of those runs were over fences and his record over hurdles is more encouraging. Difficult to see him reversing form with Mr Scrumpy.

Form: 9-42P3P

Zig Zag^p¹²

Age: 7| Weight: 10-10| J: Thomas Dowson| T: P A Kirby| OR: 119| C

11/1

Course winner on this card last year, and took a step back in the right direction when third at Haydock (2m3f; soft) last month. Only 1lb below last winning mark, and dangerous to rule out if market speaks in his favour.

Form: 709773

According To Alex²⁹

Age: 5| Weight: 10-3| J: Adam Wedge| T: H D Daly| OR: 112

28/1

Placed on both of his two starts over hurdles (albeit beaten a long way on each occasion). Makes handicap debut and should be winning soon but this is competitive. Receives weight from all of his rivals, but others have achieved more.

Form: 7-23

Forecasts

Big Bad Bear (6/4), Mr Scrumpy (5/2), West To The Bridge (11/1), Storm Rising (11/1), Zig Zag (11/1), Sakhee's City (12/1), River Frost (14/1), According To Alex (28/1), Demi Sang (33/1), Sam's Gunner (50/1), Authorizo (50/1), Ball D'Arc (80/1)

A quality contest to look forward to with the Phil Kirby-trained pairing of Zig Zag and Sakhee's City would be foolish to write off . Sam's Gunner is interesting as he makes his belated seasonal reappearance, though he is still 10lb above his last winning mark. The duo to focus on are Mr Scrumpy and BIG BAD BEAR. The former is better off with Storm Rising after the pair recent meeting. He should make a bold bid to regain the winning thread. However, preference is for the latter who represents the bang in-form Nicky Richards stable and can make a winning handicap debut after showing plenty of promise in winning a pair of novice hurdles.